Chapter 14: Uruwashii Night

Sango looked out of the window and sighed for the umpteenth time. She wanted to go, to get out of that place, to completely break free from all this back stabbing and tension. But…the rain was pouring quite hard as the night started to end yet darkness still engulfed everything and Kagome, Inu-yasha, even Sesshoumaru weren't around. Normally, she'd just wait for either Inu-yasha or Kagome to make the decision for the group. She didn't like making herself more assertive than she already was. If she did, she feared everyone might think of her as a man instead!

"Sango-chan, where's Kagome?" Shippou whined from the futon opposite the window she was sitting by.

Sango gave her companion a weary, patient smile and looked back out the window without a word. She was also, admittedly, worried about houshi-sama. She wondered what that perverted monk was doing. No doubt going to hot springs to peek at beautiful women bathing there. With that thought a vein appeared on her forehead. Why that perverted corrupt monk! How dare he! He shouldn't be doing that! He just shouldn't! How shameful it must be to become the 'bearer' of his child!

With every thought of the perverted monk seeing other women naked, more veins started appearing all over up until she could take no more of it! Suddenly there was a loud crash and she looked down beside her only to find her fist through the very floor! She stared at it and then turned her bewildered gaze to Shippou's terrified face. She grinned sheepishly and gently yanked her fist out of the hole. "Ehehehe…" was all she could manage.

Inu-yasha ran to the clearing, drenched in rain. What the hell was she doing there? "Oi, wench!" he called. It seemed to have snapped her out of her reverie and she turned to him.

"Inu-yasha! "she acknowledged as if it was a normal day.

Inu-yasha came to her and took of his wet red hakama and flung it over her head. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You'll get sick!"

Kagome looked down at herself and found she was no longer holding her umbrella high over her head. The hand felt tired all of a sudden, as if she had just set it down to rest. She blushed, embarrassed for being caught zoning out.

She looked back up to stare at Inu-yasha's angry face and smiled sheepishly. Inu-yasha just shook his head at her condescendingly and said, "Geez, you can be so stupid at times! What were you doing here anyway?"

"Uhm…" Kagome weighed her options carefully. All night she'd been standing there looking out into space and thinking about Him. Why did he tell her that? Why did he say he'll be back? Was that a promise? Was he telling her that just to be polite? She knew Sesshoumaru, the ice king, the Lord of the Western Lands, the heartless beauty, would never even care to tell anyone where he's going. That only signifies his independence more. Mind your own business, that's his motto. So why did he tell her that?

Despite everything she perceived she wasn't really all sunshine and smiles. (Though I suppose we all know that already) there was a smarter side to her too. She knows how to analyze people, to see what they're like and how she should act around them. That was how she analyzed Sesshoumaru, cold and completely detached. But she had never expected him to say what he just said. I'll be Back. That's what he said. He'll be back.

Kagome smiled, "Nothing, just…watching the lake." She said airily.

Inu-yasha looked disapproving again but he turned from her and squatted. "Get on, I'll take you back to the hut." He said, turning his blushing face out of her sight.

Kagome looked down at Inu-yasha, watching the drops of rain splashing upon his bare back. Inu-yasha was so kind. She didn't know any other word to describe him. Kind.Inu-yasha stiffened and his whole body tensed when he suddenly felt warm arms engulfing him at his upper torso.

Kagome laid her head on his warm back and a small smile crept unto her lips. These were one of the moments she cherished most; Inu-yasha in his bare truth…his kindness.

"W-What are you doing?" Inu-yasha asked flightily, his voice revealing his uneasiness with such intimacy.

"Inu-yasha…" she started calmly, "I wish you won't wish to become a full youkai." She said serenely.

"What? Not this again!"

"I'm not making you do it, Inu…" she said, never closing her eyes. "It's just wishful thinking…" she said. Or a long while they stayed that way, up until the rain started to stop.

"Inu-yasha…"

"Hm?"

"Can we…stay here for a while?"

"Why?"

"Nothing. I just want to."

"…………………………alright…."

Haruko. It meant Child of Spring. In Spring, flowers bloomed. That's why he painted her sitting in a field of flowers in Spring. She was beautiful. He could just imagine her hair flowing gently with the wind, her sweet Sakura scent mingling with the flowers about. Her smile shone and her eyes twinkled with quiet, mysterious loneliness. He loved it; the loneliness in those eyes and the way she conceals it with her smile.

It was always there, he could see it. But at the same time she was a good liar. She hid her pains well. Ever since he saw her summoning ice from the heavens, he had thought of her constantly. Yes, her beauty was, for the most part, the reason why. But something else drew him to her…those eyes. Those beautiful sapphire eyes. Lonely, mysterious, beautiful eyes. Something he could have only dreamt of seeing. He's read many books of such women. They were called…princesses.

Ever since his childhood he'd silently wished upon the stars that he'd meet his princess one day. True, many women have come to him as well, hoping to catch his attention. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't naïve either. He knew he was attractive. But he was only second to his brother. Surely, he had thought long ago, when his princess comes she'll want Shinta more than him. What was he after all but second rate? He wasn't as handsome as Shinta, Shinat was wiser and smarter and stronger…in short…Shinta was so much better than him.

But then Haruko came. She looked at him differently and she acted differently with him as well. She wasn't like the other girls who get intimidated by his aloofness and bashfulness. She was confident and radiant, making him want to be confident as well. She looked, and smiled, and spoke to him as if he was her equal; as if he was someone to be respected and recognized as special.

"Mila-kun…" he turned to the childish voice he knew all too well and found his little brother, Kayo at the door of his room. "Father says he wants you to look for Shinta-kun. He hasn't been back yet."

Mila looked confused and worried, where could Shinta be? He looked back at the faceless beauty of his portrait and then back to his brother with a determined nod.

Haruko lay still in her bed. Her hair was dry now, her clothes were as well. She didn't bother to take it off anyway. She was too tired from crying so she lay still, just staring at the ceiling. She replayed the scenes in her mind, every detail still clear. Shinta had tried to kiss her. She slapped him away. She tried to apologize but… a tear fell from her eye. She didn't bother wiping it away; no one was there to see it anyway.

She then thought of Akito and Touya. She wondered what they were doing right now. Perhaps they were in the field, training with each other like they always did. Only this time, she wasn't there to cheer them on. She closed her eyes to remember.

Touya sliced wind right after Akito did the same. They released a loud breath with every slash. Sweat poured down their unbelievably handsome faces filled with determination. They suddenly stopped in mid-slash just as their olfactory senses flared at the familiar scent of their mistress and friend, Haruko. They sheathed their swords and did their best to stop panting as they turned to greet their ward.

Haruko came closer and stopped just before both of them. They knelt and hung their heads low until Haruko bowed back. When Akitou and Touya were standing fully, she smiled at them. "You guys work too hard you know that?" she said.

Akito gave a small smile and Touya merely smirked. "Our lord, Sesshoumaru, only wishes for you to be safe, Lady Haruko." Akito said.

Haruko scoffed good-naturedly and looked around the wide field within the walls of the castle. "It's starting to fall." She spoke softly.

"What is, M'lady?" Touya asked with his whole angelic voice.

A smile graced her lips, "the leaves. It's Autumn already. It is…uruwashii…"

Akito and Touya looked at each other then and started to laugh out loud. She stared at them with a strange look. It wasn't often for those two to laugh, and it was rare of them to laugh in front of her. She didn't know why though. She didn't know how ironic it was that her name meant child of Spring but she loved Autumn the most.

Later that night, Akito and Touya took her into the field again, only this time they told her to keep her eyes closed. She was curious but she kept her eyes closed all the time. She could feel the cool breeze of he night brushing against her skin.

"Alright, open your eyes." Akitou spoke softly to her ear. She opened her eyes and a wide smile broke loose! There, in front of her was Rin-sama, casting a spell that controlled the winds, making the crisp leaves of Autumn fly all about. Rin-sama extended her arms towards Haruko and the leaves went to her, encircling her. She laughed merrily at the beauty that surrounded her. From then on, Touya and Akito had called it the Uruwashii Night. The Beautiful Night.

She suddenly opened her eyes, completely alerted by the presence hovering over her. There he was, staring down at her, eyes frighteningly hungry… just like his brother.

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Sesshoumaru's Miko: Sorry if I confused you. Anyway, she was just having a flashback. And Sessho-sama can't go to the future coz he doesn't have a shard. Inu-yasha is somehow connected to the shard while Sesshoumaru wants nothing to do with it. I hope I cleared things up for you. Thanks for waiting!

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seshhomaru's babe: in later chapters I'll be putting some lemons in. I'm still trying to get over my modesty. Hehe…But I'll do my best!

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